Council president joins Allentown mayor’s race against incumbent, colleague

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Just like the adage says, the race for Allentown mayor is getting crowded.

City Council President Cynthia Mota is the third candidate to announce a campaign for the city government’s top job.

She joins Councilman Ed Zucal in trying to stop Mayor Matt Tuerk from claiming a second term in 2025.

All are Democrats.

Tuerk officially launched his campaign Thursday; Zucal is due to announce his candidacy Monday night.

Mota has served on council since 2012. She’s been its president for two of the past three years, and held the role of vice president in between leadership stints.

Time for change: Mota

Mota told LehighValleyNews.com she’s running because she thinks “it’s time for different leadership” in Allentown.

“I’m running for mayor because Allentown deserves a leader who will prioritize prosperity and inclusion and economic opportunities for every resident,” Mota said.

“I’m a lifelong Allentonian, and as an Afro-Latina woman, I know firsthand the challenges and opportunities that make our city unique."

Mota moved with her family from the Dominican Republic to Allentown when she was a child.

She attended Harrison-Morton Elementary School before graduating from Dieruff High School. Mota is a graduate of East Stroudsburg University.

That educational foundation — and her experiences as a businesswoman, elected official and mother of three — have imparted perspective, Mota said.

“I’ve seen it all,” she said.

But Mota was tight-lipped about her upcoming campaign platform. She said she has many topics she wants to talk about with voters but only explicitly stated “transparency” among them.

“I think that is too premature, but I have a list of things that I would like the voters to know what I stand for,” Mota said.

'Conflict and controversy'

The three-term councilwoman alluded to tensions between Allentown City Council and Tuerk when explaining her motivation to run for mayor this cycle.

“A lot of conflict and controversy have distracted [us] from the important work of serving our residents,” she said. “There have been a lot of distractions.”

Mota cast the deciding vote in December as Allentown City Council approved a no-confidence measure against Tuerk by a 4-3 vote — a move that heightened tensions between council and the administration during budget season.

She also signed off on a contract to hire a former FBI special agent to investigate claims of racism and discrimination within city government.

And, as council president, she is leading the body in its litigation against the mayor. Council alleges in its litigation that the mayor and his administration are trying to obstruct its investigation.

She said she’s excited to make her pitch to voters and is “very hopeful” of her electoral chances in the Democratic primary.

“I know the suffering of my community,” Mota said. “We need a leader who can bridge the divides and partner with anchor institutions. I believe I could be that person.”

“I have a lot of faith. Let’s see what happens.”